Northern Lights UK: Aurora Borealis to light up sky over north of England and Scotland (if it's not too cloudy)

Aurora Borealis to appear unusually far south due to solar flares

The aurora borealis, or the northern lights as they are commonly known, at St. Mary's Lighthouse and Visitor Centre, Whitley Bay, North Tyneside (Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)

The Northern Lights, a spectacular display of multi-coloured solar waves, are set to light up the night sky in northern England and Scotland tonight as they stray unusually far south.

The Aurora Borealis, as the lights are also known, is expected to be uncharacteristically clear due to two huge solar flares currently bouncing off the earth’s atmosphere.

The “coronal mass projections”, bubbles of charged gas that have exploded out from the surface of the sun, hit the earth’s atmosphere this morning, according to the Space Weather Prediction Centre in the US. They are expected to increase in strength into the early hours of morning.

While the strong magnetic rays should provide memorable displays for stargazers, experts have said that the intensity of the flares could cause disturbances in satellite and radio transmissions.

Despite this warning the Space Weather Prediction Centre has issued a reminder that solar storms do not directly harm people.

There are fears that a low-hanging mist could obstruct views for those living inland. The Met Office is currently predicting thickening cloud over northern England this evening with misty and foggy patches forming in some areas over Scotland.